Heart of Ice, Fist of Flame
by Ice-Princess-Amber
Summary: Hiei gets mixed up in a family fight, but Kurama ends up bearing the scars of it.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: This has been rattling around for a few months now. Please bear with me on names and terms, because I've watched both the subbed and dubbed versions. Oh, and this is an AU/OC story, so if you don't like those, turn back now. Flames will be used to roast marshmallows.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of its characters, but I've met the man who drew the mangas. Kohaku is copyright me, though.

Heart of Ice, Fist of Flame

There was never any doubt as to where her duties lay. Since setting out on her own, the demon had two goals to fulfill: One was to find the thief Youko Kurama, and see what he was up to, and to persuade him to return to Makai. The second, and perhaps harder task, was to find her brother, and persuade him to join the family he'd never known. But given her will to succeed, and some info taken from a group of low-level demons, Kohaku was hoping that at least one of her goals would be seen through before the night was over…

* * *

The area she landed in was surrounded on all sides by buildings, and she could smell salt water only a hundred feet away. Her tail twitched nervously, and Kohaku shook her head to clear it. Being half-cat demon wasn't always the easiest thing, especially when she got near large bodies of water. Still, she could sense the energy of her target not far away. And, as an added bonus, she smelled the blood of a wounded animal. Maybe there would be time for a quick snack after she'd caught up to the demon she was after. Leaping silently onto the roof of the nearest building, Kohaku jumped from roof to roof in search of her quarry, who didn't seem to notice her yet. Finally he came within sight, though there was something odd about the scene. His energy was the same, yet the body walking- no, staggering beneath her wasn't the same as the last time she'd seen the agile thief. He looked… Delicate, for some reason. And the scent of blood was stronger here, but that didn't make sense unless- Fear stabbed through her for a moment before she decided to throw caution to the wind. "Kurama?" she called out, wondering if perhaps her tracking abilities had deserted her for the night. But no, the person turned at the sound of her voice, but Kohaku quickly saw that it looked nothing like her intended target.

"Yes?" came a boy's voice that flowed out of a human body. Thin in build, the body was clothed in a red uniform, and blood-red hair flowed down to the shoulders. The front of the uniform was stained with blood, and Kohaku realized that this person was hurt. Actually, the wound looked bad enough to be fatal to humans. How could he still be standing, let alone walking? And then she saw the boy pull a rose out of his hair, lengthening it into a deadly whip. So, he'd somehow changed his body to blend in with the humans? How un-Kurama like. "Who's there?"

"Kurama, you're getting careless in your old age," she teased, staying hidden among the shadows of the roof. "I could've killed you twice over."

"How do you know who I am?" His defensive stance wavered for a moment, and Kohaku could tell that his wound was causing him quite a bit of pain.

"I know a few things about you," she replied, landing on the street and approaching him slowly. "But tell me, who gave you that lovely memento?" A moment later she yelped in surprise when a thorn-studded whip missed her head by mere inches. Kohaku landed on all fours and hissed at him, her tail waving madly in the air, and the claws on her hands digging into the pavement. "What was that for?"

"I have no time to be bothered by demons. If you have come to hunt me, then prepare to fight." His harsh tone stung more than the whip could have. Had Kurama forgotten her after all this time?

"Kurama, I didn't come here to fight. I came here to find you, to make sure you were all right. Don't you remember me?" He stared at her for a moment, and then finally coiled the whip back into his hand. However, he didn't move from a defensive crouch.

"The Kurama you came to find isn't the same one you remember. But no, I haven't forgotten you, Kohaku. I'm sorry about lashing out, but you startled me."

"Kurama, what's happened to you? Your energy is the same, yet you look no different from a human. How-" He held up a hand to silence her, and she obeyed.

"I was wounded many years ago by a hunter, and escaped death only by infusing my spirit into the body of a human. But that changed me, and I'm not the same thief you remember. I've got a new life now, with a new purpose."

"Does that mean I'm no longer part of it? I thought you loved me, Kurama?" He turned away, and Kohaku swore he was blushing slightly.

"What I felt then and what I feel now isn't the same. Yes, as Youko Kurama I did love you. But as Shuichi- Kurama, my heart lies elsewhere. I'm sorry that you've come all this way for nothing." Kohaku nodded, trying to hold back tears. It wasn't fair! She'd held out hope that Kurama would come back for her, but now he seemed more lost to her than ever.

"I didn't come for nothing. I came to get answers, and that's what I intend to have. I want to see what this new life is that you've found." And with that, she was gone, vanished back into the shadows that clung to the buildings. Kurama smiled sadly and turned towards home again. He had a feeling he would see the strange cat-demon again.

* * *

Months later, Kurama had just arrived back from a mission as a Spirit Detective. The four Saint Beasts had been tough foes, and he grimaced as he stretched muscles that were still trying to heal. "Why is it that my midsection always seems to get sliced up?"

"Probably because you keep forgetting to guard it," a slightly familiar voice replied. Perched on his window was Kohaku, her eyes glowing green when the light bounced off them. "You're also becoming easier to track."

"I had other things on my mind." Which was true, in a way. He'd actually been daydreaming about the small fire-demon who had agreed to accompany him on the Saint Beast mission. Hiei had called him a traitor the last time Kurama had seen him, so what could've changed his feelings about working with the ex-thief? Though for his part, Kurama really hadn't asked any questions about the subject either.

"You're blushing," Kohaku broke into his mind's wanderings.

"Sorry, must have gotten lost in thought." She came down from the window and stood by his bed, smiling slightly. Now that he knew she meant no harm, the redhead allowed himself a good look at her. Her black hair hung straight down to the small of her back, and small, black cat ears poked up from the top of her head. The clothes she wore were all black, save what looked like three red slashes that ran from her left shoulder to her right hip. Claws were on were fingertips, but she retracted them even as he watched. A black tail curled slightly around her legs, and then resolved to swishing calmly back and forth. Kurama looked up into her eyes, which were a reddish-gold, like they hadn't quite decided which color they wanted to be. All in all, she painted a rather pretty picture for a demon, and he could understand why his old self had liked her. "If I remember, your mother was a cat-demon, but your father wasn't. That's why your eyes are that oddly intriguing color."

"Well, it's nice to see that you do remember. And yes, father was a fire demon. A rather lustful fire demon, I'm afraid. Every time I turn around it seems I have more brothers and sisters. Though this time I came to find one."

"Is that why you're in Ningenkai?" It seemed a bit odd that a fire demon or even a half fire-demon would choose the human world to hide in. However, since that was where he himself had chosen to hide, Kurama couldn't pass judgment.

"That and to track you down. I was hoping to persuade you to return to Makai with me, but for now I know that's impossible. However, if you see a half-fire demon wandering around, can you let me know? Father wants to try and gather his offspring, and apparently one of my little brothers has earned quite a reputation."

"Does this brother of yours have a name? I can ask some of my associates in Makai if they've seen him." Kohaku leapt onto the windowsill again, smiling back at Kurama for a moment.

"I appreciate this, Kurama, and I'll be back some other time to check back with you. As for my brother's name, it's Hiei." With that she was gone again, like she'd vanished into the shadows. Kurama was just trying to speak when another shape slipped into his room. It stood there a moment, fixing the redhead with a gaze others would find piercing or unfriendly. To Kurama, it was simply Hiei's typical look.

"Who was that, Kurama? I saw someone slip out this window not a moment ago."

"Worried about me, Hiei?"

"Of course not," the little fire-demon shot back. "I was just making sure you aren't going to double-cross us. Now who was that?" Kurama shrugged and sighed, but he just couldn't get Kohaku's words out of his head.

"No one, Hiei. Just an old friend."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I still don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, or any of its original characters. My characters are my own, so leave them alone.

Chapter 2

Yusuke yawned and stretched, rolling over on the rooftop where he'd woken up from his nap. There was just something about school that made him sleepy. However, avoiding Keiko now that he'd snoozed the day away would be a bit of a challenge. "Yusuke!" The female voice that sent him crashing to the other rooftop wasn't Keiko's, but he wasn't in the mood for what its owner had in store for him.

"What does the baby want now, Botan?" he asked, yawning again. A quick smack from her oar made Yusuke realize that this was a rather serious summons.

"Quit goofing off, Yusuke. Koenma just received word of a kidnapping, and thought you should be the first to know about it."

"Kidnapping? Why should I care about some rich kid who got taken?" Another smack from her oar silenced him, and he rubbed his head and glared at the blue-haired messenger. He knew Botan wasn't trying to be annoying, but some of Koenma's missions just didn't make sense.

"It's not a human child that was taken, Yusuke. Hiei was abducted by a gang of high-level fire demons last night, and they sound very dangerous." That changed the stakes a little, though why Hiei had been taken was an interesting question.

"What do these demons want?"

"That's the problem. There's been no ransom, and no communication between the demons or anyone in Lord Enma's house. But we have spies who said that Hiei is still alive, but that the demons want him to join them."

"What?" Yusuke yelled, forgetting about the pain in his head. Maybe these demons had learned about Hiei's ability to control the Dragon of Darkness Flame. Anyone with that kind of power would be perfect for a group to recruit. It was just too bad that the fire-demon was on Yusuke's team. "So Koenma wants us to go in and get Hiei back? That sounds easy."

"Except that one of the demons is a powerful telepath," Botan warned. "Hashi Akiwara has been on the loose for years. His mind-control abilities are so great that he can make people see whatever he wants."

"So he can create illusions. Big deal."

"No Yusuke, he's much worse than that. Hashi can literally make you see your best friend as your worst enemy."

* * *

In a castle in Makai, Hiei was slumped in the corner of a small room. He still wasn't quite sure how he'd gotten there. One moment he'd been on his way to see Kurama, and the next he'd been hit by three fireballs that had seemed to come from nowhere. "But if they think one little cell can hold me, those idiots haven't been paying attention."

"Trust me, Hiei," a voice suddenly said from the darkness that surrounded him. "I know all about you and your little tricks."

"Who's there? Show yourself, coward!" Laughter was all that followed for a moment, and then the voice continued:

"You know, you're very lucky that your uncle wants you alive. Otherwise, I could rip you apart from here."

"Uncle? What nonsense are you talking? I have no family."

"Hmm? No family, you say? That's very interesting, Hiei, because you've been taken captive by your family." Now the fire-demon was starting to get annoyed. The only family he had was Yukina, and a mother who had let him be cast out of her island home. As for his father- And then it hit him. His father, of course! That must be the family the voice was referring to, though why they would care about him was a mystery.

"Then my father is behind this? A demon I never knew, and one I don't care to know. You can tell him that I want no part of his "family"."

"Oh but Hiei, you don't have a choice. You see, your father has a brother, an elder brother. And this brother is very worried because your father is gathering all his children to him, and probably plans to overthrow your uncle for control of the family. So you see, it's your father's brother who is to blame for your current situation."

"And how are you part of this? Are you some whimpering cousin, come to tell me a sad story about why I should choose your side? I don't play family games very well." But suddenly, the darkness gave way to light, and a man stepped into Hiei's vision. His neck-length hair was white, and his skin was equally as pale. Gray eyes seemed to hide a secret from the world, and he wore a smirk on his small mouth. The clothes he wore were all white, save for a black sash around his waist. All in all, he didn't look like family.

"No Hiei, I'm afraid you and I aren't related at all. Hashi Akiwara, famed telepath, at your service." He bowed, but kept his eyes on Hiei, which seemed to bore into the black-haired demon's skull.

"And why are you here?" Hashi smiled then, but it was an evil sort of grin.

"Why am I here? My dear Hiei, I'm here to break you." He pulled a whip from behind his back, and advanced on Hiei. A group of four other demons suddenly ran into the room and held their captive down. This was not going to be an easy fight.

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Yusuke was saying to Koenma. "Hiei was kidnapped by his uncle because he was afraid that Hiei's **father** was trying to take over the family business or something? This just doesn't make sense."

"Whether it makes sense or not, Hiei is still their prisoner," the Prince of Makai answered, sucking thoughtfully on his pacifier. He had to admit to himself that this turn of events was about as unlikely as Kuwabara telling Yukina he didn't like her anymore.

"But why would they take Hiei? He doesn't even know his dad," the aforementioned redhead argued. "I didn't even know he **had** one."

"Just because he was never mentioned doesn't mean he doesn't exist," Kurama replied calmly. "After all, where do you think little demons come from?"

"I don't know, I thought you guys were just, you know, created."

"Be that as it may, our friend is still in danger. Is there a way to get him out?"

"Unfortunately Kurama, not really. Not only is Hiei's uncle a rather powerful fire demon, he's pulled all his men back to his base of operations, deep in Makai. To make matters worse, as Botan has already told you, Hashi Akiwara seems to be on his payroll."

"Right, the telepath who can make you believe anything he wants," Yusuke mused. "So is he a demon, or just a powerful human?"

"Hashi is a demon, of a species who pride themselves on having mind-altering abilities. My father banished them to a small, sealed area of Makai, but every so often one of them finds a way to escape. Most of the time we can track down the escapee and either finish them off quickly or get them back to their area. Hashi has been able to elude us for quite some time, and he's gotten even more powerful." Koenma sighed as he thought about what Yusuke would probably do. An all-out assault to rescue Hiei could prove disastrous, but then again, did they have any other choice? If Hashi somehow convinced or forced Hiei to attack his friends, all of Makai could suffer under his power.

"All right, enough talk then," Yusuke said. "I say we go in there and get Hiei back." Kuwabara nodded, but Kurama looked hesitant.

"Yusuke, we have no way of knowing what we're up against. And this telepath might be expecting us. We are putting ourselves at great risk."

"Do you want Hiei back or not?" The simple question sent a small shockwave through the ex-thief's system. Of **course** he wanted to get Hiei back. He'd storm that fortress himself if it meant rescuing the little fire-demon. The thought of losing Hiei to anyone made his blood run cold, and Kurama was not about to let go of his closest friend so easily. With a sigh, he nodded his head. "Then tell us where this place is, Koenma."

"Yusuke, we don't know where it is," Botan informed him. "It might take a little while to track this guy down."

"You mean we **can't** do anything to help Hiei?" the boy shouted.

"Hey, maybe Genkai knows of these guys. We should ask her," Kuwabara suggested. That seemed to slightly diffuse his friend's anger.

"We'll contact you as soon as we know where Hiei is, I promise."

"All right, Koenma. But if I have to tear Makai apart to find my friend, I'll do it." With that, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan left the room. Kurama remained, though he seemed deep in thought about something.

"Was there something you wanted to add?" the Prince wondered. He knew Kurama and Hiei were the equivalent of "best friends", but sometimes he couldn't see why the youkai tolerated the egotistical fire-demon.

"Koenma, wouldn't the Jagan prevent Hiei from being manipulated by Hashi?"

"Unfortunately, there isn't any real way of knowing. While the Jagan gives Hiei some protection against telepathy and mind-control, Hashi doesn't resort to all-out power. He likes to find people's weak points and exploit them, often breaking their minds without touching their bodies. But he can also resort to physical violence if need be, and he is skilled with a whip."

"So, he is extremely dangerous?"

"That's like saying the Dark Tournament was a friendly fight. Hashi has a vendetta against those who imprisoned his people, and he's been able to kill Spirit Detectives before. He might just be using Hiei for his own advantage, as well as to keep his employer happy. This won't be a simple rescue mission."

"Nothing is ever simple when we're involved," the redhead said before leaving the room. Koenma sat back in his chair and looked over a few notes regarding Hashi Akiwara. This was one demon even he was terrified of.

"I just hope they know what they're getting into."

* * *

A week passed, and then another as the team waited for word on Hiei's whereabouts. Botan would leave messages saying that they were still looking, and to have patience, but Yusuke's was running thin. Even Kuwabara, so quick to antagonize Hiei, was starting to get worried. Kurama tried tostay busy to keep his mind off his friend, but every night he found himself staring at the window that Hiei sometimes used if he wanted to "check up" on the fox, as he called it. Finally, four days into the third week, a soft rapping came from the window, and Kurama leapt out of bed to open it. But instead of a small, black-haired demon entering the room, Kohaku jumped in and sat on the bed. She looked annoyed, and kept clenching her fists as her tail thumped noisily on the bed. "Is something wrong?"

"I just got word that my uncle has taken Hiei prisoner. On top of that, he issued a challenge to my father for a fight between his brood and ours. Apparently he thinks Father was gathering his children to depose my uncle."

"Kohaku, you wouldn't happen to know **where** your uncle's fortress is, would you?" She looked up and cocked her head to one side as if puzzled.

"Of course I do. But none of my siblings are willing to go with me to rescue our brother, the cowards. I was hoping you and your friends knew what I could do."

"Kohaku, you know that Hiei is my teammate, don't you?" It was more of a soft accusation than a question, and she nodded. "Why didn't you come to me sooner?"

"Because I haven't been able to get back here before now. I've been going all over Makai trying to find others to support my father. But even my mother's Pride is fearful of my uncle. And yes, I knew Hiei was your friend when I heard about the Dark Tournament. At first I was a little upset that you hadn't told me that you knew my brother, but then I realized I didn't really give you a chance to. But I need your help to get him back."

"And we need your guidance to find him. I'm going to find Yusuke and tell him that you'll take us there."

"Aren't you afraid of my uncle? He's got a telepath on his side, you know." Kurama faced her dead-on, and a smirk curled his lips for a brief moment. It reminded her of Youko Kurama and the looks he got before a big job.

"I'd fight all of Makai myself if it meant saving Hiei. But what about you? Doesn't the thought of fighting your uncle and his allies frighten you?" Kohaku smiled then, flashing fangs that looked sharp enough to cut through bone.

"I say, bring them on."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The fortress where Hiei was being kept didn't look like much. A crumbling castle with a spiked-filled moat greeted Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Kohaku. "This is it?" Kuwabara laughed. "Maze Castle looked more menacing than this."

"Appearances can be deceiving, Kuwabara," came Kurama's retort. "We'd better take them seriously, no matter what their home looks like."

"Hiei's uncle is the leader of the family, and his children are raised ruthless and powerful. Plus he's bound to have a few allies or henchmen with him," Kohaku added.

"So tell me, Kohaku: What exactly does Hiei's uncle think his father wants?" Yusuke asked. He'd been a little shocked when Kurama had explained Kohaku's history to him. However, it didn't come as a surprise that she'd demanded to come with them. Even though she looked more like a cat demon, he could see that she and Hiei definitely had the same attitude about enemies. Kuwabara had mostly kept his mouth shut around her, and Yusuke had decided not to tell him about the family ties.

"He thinks they want to take over the family business. He runs an assassin guild, but as far as Hiei's father is concerned, his brother can have it."

"Gee, maybe Hiei would fit in better than we thought," Kuwabara teased. Kohaku glared at him, her eyes taking on a redder sheen to them.

"My- Friend is not a murderer, no matter what you might think." She'd almost slipped and said "brother", which Yusuke had warned her not to do. Kuwabara had a hard time keeping secrets, and this wasn't something she wanted him blabbing to everyone, especially Hiei. He might take it the wrong way and turn his back on Kohaku before he knew her, and she wanted to avoid that.

"Kuwabara, don't start with her."

"But Urameshi-"

"I don't want to hear it. Once we get into the castle we'll split up and look for Hiei. First one to find him, call the others on the communication mirrors, got it?" They all held up their own mirrors in response. "Good. Now, how are we gonna cross this spiky moat-thing? I don't see a bridge." Kurama began chuckling as he uncoiled his whip.

"Yusuke, you haven't changed. I can swing across by hooking around the spikes above the door." The door he referred to was a good thirty feet away, and if the fifty-foot drop didn't kill them, the spikes that lined the bottom of the pit probably would.

"Actually, there's no need to do that," Kohaku argued. She pulled a small crystal rod from behind her back and tapped it against her boot twice. It lengthened into a five-foot staff, and the two ends were actually diamond points. Walking up to the edge of the pit, Kohaku lightly tapped the air with one of the points, and a _plink_ was heard. "Thick glass forms a thin bridge across, but unless you know it's there, you can't see it."

"So how do we know where it's safe to cross?" Yusuke asked. A moment later Kohaku held a small fireball in her hand and placed it on the bridge. As she walked, it moved ahead of her.

"Follow me, but walk slowly. The glass can be slippery." Kurama shrugged and walked after her, followed by Yusuke, who dragged Kuwabara behind him. Once across the bridge, the fireball smoked out, and they entered the door to the castle, keeping sharp eyes open for guards. "Most everyone will still be training, or in a meeting. That's this guy's usual practice when a challenge or some such fight has been called."

"How do you know?"

"You think I came here unprepared? Hiei's father told me what to expect, and he was a partner to his brother. He just decided long ago that he was a lover, not a fighter."

"How ironic that his children seem to be mostly fighters," Kurama mused.

"Sign of the times, I suppose."

"All right, let's split up here. I'll try and find the training areas and see if Hiei is there. Kuwabara, head upstairs and find the spare rooms."

"I'll be in the dungeons," Kurama told him.

"Fine. Kohaku, you're with me."

"Very well." The group split up, and the black-haired demon followed Yusuke through the main part of the castle. "You don't trust me, do you?" she asked after a few minutes of silent searching.

"Is it that obvious? I know you're Hiei's sister and all, but you could be leading us into a trap."

"If you really thought I was going to do that, why have everyone split up? It's easier to take out a single target." Yusuke stopped then, turning to stare at her.

"That's the kind of answer Hiei would've given me."

"You were testing me." So she'd known all along. He wondered what other things this girl knew or could do. They kept moving through the halls, still on the lookout for anyone. The fact that no one seemed to be around was starting to bother Yusuke.

"I guess I was. Look, all that matters is getting Hiei back. I'll apologize later."

"Don't apologize at all. I would've done the same thing, whether you knew Kurama or not."

"Speaking of that, how do you know him, anyway? Kurama never really talks about his past much."

"A lady never kisses and tells, Yusuke. Besides, if Kurama wants you to know what happened, he'll tell you."

"That's a longer way of saying your brother's favorite expression."

"Which is?"

"Hn." Kohaku chuckled softly, hoping she would soon meet this brother who seemed to be more like her than any of her other siblings. Suddenly the two of them heard a soft beep, and Yusuke quickly fished the communication mirror out of his pocket. "Yusuke here, go ahead."

"Yusuke, I think I've found Hiei. He's in one of the cells in the basement. I'm going to get him out."

"We'll meet you down there," Kohaku said as she turned and sped down the hallway, leaving Yusuke to call Kuwabara. Finally, something was going right.

* * *

Hiei had no idea how long he'd been kept prisoner, but it seemed like years. Every day he was visited by Hashi, who demanded his allegiance and cooperation. At first Hiei had fought back with everything he had, yet nothing seemed to work. Even the power of the Dragon hadn't stopped Hashi, and only Bui had ever been able to survive a direct attack of that magnitude. But the telepath seemed immortal, and he took his frustrations out on the smaller demon, whipping him without mercy until Hiei would collapse. Then they would allow his body to partially heal, only to come back and start the process over. "This ends today," Hiei whispered, looking around the cell. A cup of water was on a small table, along with a piece of rancid meat. However, something else on the table forced Hiei to push himself to his feet despite his aching back. There was a knife lying on the table, as if one of the guards had forgotten it. "Perfect." His fingers grasped the knife and pulled it close, hiding it in the tatters of his shirt. Wetness seeped down his back, and he knew the whip marks from yesterday were bleeding again. Suddenly he heard footsteps, and a key was inserted in the lock to his door. Slowly, Hiei turned and lay down on the stone floor, clutching the knife tightly to his chest. He would only get one chance, and he needed to kill Hashi if he ever hoped to escape. The white-clad figure strode through the door, smirking down at the fire demon.

"Hiei? Are you all right?" he asked, coming closer. The black-haired demon didn't move, listening as his target walked nearer.

"It's time to go," Hashi continued. "Looks like I'll have to carry you." Arms encircled him, and Hiei's eyes snapped open, and for a brief instant met gray ones. Then the knife was moving, and it slid into soft flesh as the arms trembled and air rushed from the man's lips. And then, as Hiei backed away, he saw the white hair bleed to red, and the clothes shift into a red school uniform. And the eyes- which had been gray just a moment before, became a green like that of lush grass. "Hiei?" Kurama gasped, clutching at the knife protruding from his stomach. "Why?" And then he collapsed, and a scream echoed through the room. Hiei's legs gave out from underneath him, and darkness ate away at his vision. The last thing he saw was a strange dark-haired girl run towards Kurama, a look of horror on her face.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Yusuke heard the scream from the cell, and came running just in time to see Hiei collapse. Kohaku was kneeling by Kurama, who had a knife sticking out of him. "What happened? I don't see any of your uncle's men," the Spirit Detective said.

"Hiei," Kohaku whispered, her fingers gently stroking Kurama's face.

"What about him?"

"He did this. I saw him stab Kurama. But why?"

"We don't have time for that now. We need to get outta here!" Kuwabara shouted, racing in. A moment later two demons entered the small room, brandishing swords of pure fire. "They saw me heading down here."

"Kuwabara, take Kurama and run. Kohaku, you get Hiei. I'll deal with these guys."

"The hell you wi-"

"Look, we don't have time to argue. Just do it!" The cat-demon nodded and picked up her brother, but held her staff in the other hand. Kuwabara grabbed the unconscious fox and waited for Yusuke to clear a path.

"Spirit Gun!" the green-clad boy yelled, unleashing his attack. It knocked the two demons into the wall, and the group made a hasty retreat. Kohaku took point, eyes scanning the hallways as they ran. A few guards, alerted by the noises from the dungeon, were waiting at the door.

"Urameshi, we need another diversion," Kuwabara noted.

"I'm on it. Spirit-"

"Die!" Kohaku screamed, rushing the guards with her staff. Before either could blink, she'd ripped the diamond blades through their bodies, cutting them in two. "Run!"

"Damn," Yusuke said, leaping over the corpses. Making their way across the bridge as fast as was safe, Yusuke turned and aimed at the glass structure. "Spirit Gun!" It shattered at the blast and blew shards of glass in every direction. At the door to the castle, Hashi Akiwara held a few of the stronger demons back.

"Let them go," he advised.

"Are you crazy? They just took our prisoner."

"Patience, my fiery friends. Hiei will return to us, mark my words."

"How do you know that?"

"Because he'll come seeking my life in retribution for his friend."

* * *

Hiei's head was pounding as he slowly opened his eyes- And was greeted by sunlight! On top of that, he seemed to be lying on a bed, with a blanket pulled over him. "Good morning, Hiei," a soft voice said. Looking to his left, the fire-demon saw Yukina kneeling beside him, a smile on her face. "Welcome home."

"Home? Am I in Genkai's temple?"

"Yes. Yusuke and Kuwabara brought you here last night. Genkai and I put some salve on your back so it would heal. I'm just so glad you're all right." Tears brimmed in the ice maiden's eyes, and Hiei reached out a hand and took hers.

"Thank you, for everything," he said. She smiled, and Kuwabara chose that moment to enter the room.

"Hey Hiei, don't you be making any moves on Yukina," he warned. The black-haired demon sighed and sat up slowly.

"Making a move on her is that last thing on my mind, Kuwabara. What happened last night?" There was an image he couldn't get out of his head, but he wasn't sure if it was real or not. He wasn't even sure what had been going on the last few weeks, except torture. But Hashi Akiwara was dead… Wasn't he?"

"That's what I'd like to know. But Kurama's the only other one who can answer that." The way the human said that made Hiei frown a bit.

"Well, where is Kurama? Surely he isn't hard to find."

"I think you had better come with me," Genkai said from the door. Her gaze met Hiei's, and he sensed urgency and concern in her stance. What was going on?

"This had better be good, old woman." Hiei stood up, sucking in a quick breath as his back muscles cried out in agony. Yukina moved to help him, but he waved her off. "I'm fine." Squaring his shoulders and holding his head up, Hiei followed Yusuke's mentor through the rooms of her temple, until they came to a closed door.

"I must warn you, this may be a shock to you," she said. A wave of fear traveled up Hiei's spine, and his stomach felt knotted. What was wrong with him? Had his injuries affected him differently somehow?

"Open the door," he said. The woman nodded and opened the door, allowing the sweet smell of incense to drift over them. She walked in, and Yusuke came over from the windows on the far side of the room. Hiei's eyes traveled over the area quickly, seeing nothing different- until they got to the center of the room. For there, lying on a bed, was Kurama. He looked pale and feverish, shivering even underneath the blanket someone had gotten him. The small demon was by his friend's side in an instant, throwing back the blanket and seeing the extent of his injuries. There appeared to be only one, a stab wound to his midsection that was tightly wrapped with blood-soaked bandages. From this close, Hiei could feel the heat radiating from the ex-thief's body, and sweat beaded on his forehead and made his long hair cling to his face. "Who did this to him?" The anger in his voice forced the words to come out in a choked whisper, and his hands tightened into fists. "Who hurt Kurama?"

"You did," a strange voice accused. Hiei whirled to see a cat-demon enter the room, her eyes focused on him. His back gave out then, but the girl caught him and laid him down gently.

"Who are you?"

"This is Kohaku, Hiei. Your sister," Genkai told him.

"Sister? But-" A finger on his lips silenced him.

"No more talking, no more moving. You need rest. We'll all get answers later," Kohaku said softly. Hiei was still tired from his ordeal, but his mind was too full of questions to sleep. But Genkai told Yusuke to bring in another sleeping mat, and then Yukina was by his side, singing softly. Kohaku watched as her little brother's eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep. Yukina stood up, smiling at the cat-demon. "That was beautiful, Yukina. What was it?"

"A lullaby my mother used to sing when I was a child. It always put me to sleep, and I thought it would do the same for Hiei."

"He's lucky to have such good friends."

"Yes, and now that he's found his sister, maybe he'll be happier."

"He's been searching for a sister?"

"Yes, ever since I've known him. He always acts so gruff and uncaring around everyone. Except for myself and Kurama, no one ever sees his softer side."

"He must like you a great deal to trust you with something like his feelings."

"I suppose so. If you'll excuse me, Genkai might need my help elsewhere."

"Of course, I'll see you later." Kohaku watched the blue-haired girl go, and then Yusuke approached her. "She's a sweet girl."

"Yeah, too bad she can't know the truth."

"Truth? What, that Hiei likes her?"

"Kurama told me that they're twins. She's the sister Hiei's been searching for. He can't tell her because he's ashamed of his past." Kohaku's eyes widened as she stared at the sleeping form of her brother. She hadn't known there'd been twins, mostly because the ice maidens were a very secretive bunch.

"So she's my little half-sister? I wonder what other secrets I'll learn today."

"Knowing us, probably more than you want to know or share." With that, Yusuke left her to get some sleep. He had no doubt that Koenma would be calling for him soon, and he needed all therest he could get.

* * *

Kohaku was sitting between Kurama and Hiei, deep in thought. She had questioned Yusuke and Kuwabara about the human shell Kurama had taken as his current form, and both stated that they'd seen it take far more damage than a mere stab wound. So what was causing the ex-thief to be in so much pain? And why wasn't he healing properly? The sliding of the door panel interrupted her thoughts, and Kohaku opened her eyes to see the Temple keeper. Genkai was her name, and she was Yusuke's teacher, if what she'd heard from the human boy and Kurama had been true. "Am I disturbing you?" she asked.

"No," Kohaku replied. "I have a feeling you only seek out people when you have something important to say."

"How can you be sure I'm not just some old fool of a human?"

"You are Yusuke's mentor, and he mentioned you on our way here. He spoke of you as a great tutor, harsh as you may be. Kurama also spoke of your wisdom and skill."

"And you believe everything he says?"

"He's never lied to me before. I ran with his group for a while, before I left to seek out my father and the rest of my family. Kurama treated everyone with respect, and it didn't matter who you were or his relationship with you."

"You were his lover then?" Kohaku blushed and appeared surprised that Genkai could be so forward, especially to someone she had met only the previous night. "This old woman has seen and felt many things, young demon. I know lovesick when I see it."

"Kurama had many lovers over the years, and I was one of them. But he seemed different with me, like he truly cared. And I suppose that over time, I came to love him as more than just a lover. And when he disappeared, I never stopped believing that he would somehow come back for me. If you want to call that lovesick, then fine."

"Such a shock it must've been then, to see and hear him act so different than the Kurama you came to know."

"Why does that interest you? If he's happy here, I won't destroy that."

"Good to hear, or else you'd answer to me." Genkai smiled at her, but it wasn't a completely friendly smile. Kohaku felt like she'd been tested without her knowledge, but if this human could help her, she'd endure whatever questions or tests she had. "I have discovered why Kurama's normal demon abilities are not working. However, I do not have a cure for it yet."

"So you know what's wrong with him?" Kuwabara asked from the door as he and Yukina entered the room. Yusuke was right behind them, yawning and rubbing the sleep from eyes.

"This better be good, Genkai. Koenma might need me soon."

"All of you, sit down," the woman ordered. Yukina immediately did as she was told, and Kuwabara kneeled down beside her. Yusuke remained standing as Genkai explained the situation: "I was able to find traces of poison on the dagger used to injure Kurama. However, this poison only effects kitsune, and does not have a known antidote in the demon world. To make matters worse, the wound is grave enough that Kurama's human body is having trouble healing it. In short, both parts of him are dying, and we must find a solution soon."

"Both parts? So the human and fox aspects are being separated somehow?"

"Yes Kohaku, it seems that way."

"Well, couldn't we just separate them all the way?" Kuwabara wondered. "That way we can at least save the human part."

"Your plan is as horrible as your fighting skills," a gruff voice retorted. Hiei sat up and looked around the room at everyone, eyes coming to rest on Kohaku. "Someone mentioned something about you being my sister."

"Yes Hiei, I'm one of your sisters. I came to find you at our father's insistence."

"He can rot for all I care. He got me into this mess in the first place. That demon telepath said something about my uncle taking me prisoner."

"You met that Hashi Akiwara guy?" Yusuke asked

"I killed him. Stabbed him with a forgotten dagger."

"Are you sure, Hiei?" Genkai wondered, staring from the fire demon to Kurama. She had a feeling that there was more to this story.

"I know what I saw."

"Heh, I doubt that. Koenma told us that Hashi can make you see whatever he wants," Kuwabara stated. "Even that weird eye of yours couldn't help." Hiei frowned and removed the headband from around his Jagan. Odd, but he couldn't remember trying to use it against the telepath. He concentrated, calling up memories and using the Jagan's power to filter out what Hashi had wanted him to see. And then shock stabbed through him like a cold knife as he watched Kurama enter the cell where he'd been kept, and how he was stabbed by a dagger that was held by Hiei's own hands. Hashi had never been there, but had used the numerous time he'd visited Hiei as a cover-up for when his friends came. Hiei swayed on his feet, but before anyone could react, he shouted and vanished, leaping out the open window faster than any of them could track.

"Hiei!" Yukina called out, but he was too far away.

"What brought that on?"

"Hiei saw something he feared, Yusuke. He saw the truth of his actions."

"Then you knew, Genkai?"

"I knew when I saw the blood on Hiei's hands that he'd played some part in Kurama's injury. But for him to be so easily fooled, this Hashi must be powerful."

"He is. And he will pay for what he's done," Kohaku vowed.

"Help him," Yukina said as she took the cat-demon's hands. "Please, he needs his sister now. I'll watch Kurama until you get back."

"Kuwabara, we need to contact Botan and Koenma. That entire castle is full of trained assassins ready to wage war."

"Can't we ever get a day off?"

"The life of a Spirit Detective is a rough one," Genkai reminded them. "I will try and devise a remedy for our friend. Until then, each of you must remain on your guard. Especially you Kohaku, because I don't think your uncle will let this matter go. Hiei is still in danger, and you might be as well."

"Then I better go find him." With that she leapt out the window, swinging herself up into the trees and disappearing from view. Genkai took one last look at the rest of the group, sighing heavily.

"Tell Botan I might need her help here, Yusuke. Other than that-"

"Yeah, I know, be careful. Just take care of Kurama, okay?"

"Don't worry, we will," Yukina promised as the two boys left the Temple to speak to Koenma once more.

* * *

It was only thanks to her cat nose that Kohaku was able to track down Hiei. The speed with which he moved was incredible, and she smiled ruefully at the thought of her brother being an assassin. No doubt her uncle would've liked to have someone such as the half-fire demon on his side, especially with all of his special abilities. Finally, Kohaku leapt back to the ground, having located her quarry. He was standing at the edge of a pond, staring at the water, and it didn't seem like he'd noticed her. "Hiei?" she called out, not wanting to get too near. He didn't have a weapon that she could see, but there was no sense in taking any chances. "Hiei, I need to talk to you."

"Get away from me," he said, still not looking at her.

"I can't do that. Genkai said you're still in danger, and you're injured."

"I'm fine."

"Yukina is worried about you. She asked me to help you." That grabbed his attention, and he fixed a stony, red stare on her.

"You know nothing about me. I have no family except for Yukina."

"And how much of a family is she, when you can't even tell her the truth? Yusuke told me you're ashamed of your past. Well I'm your sister too, and I don't care what you've done before. Neither does our father."

"Don't speak to me about him. I want nothing to do with him, especially since he abandoned me, just like my mother."

"She left you?"

"I was a Forbidden Child, an outlaw since the moment I entered the world. I was cast off the Isle of the Ice Maidens, and torn from my sister. No one cared about me then, and I don't care about them now."

"You care for your friends, though. You care about Kurama."

"What does it matter?" he shouted suddenly, fists at his side. "The one person who understood me is dying, all because I couldn't see through a simple mind trick. That's one more name to add to the list of people I've killed over the years. I'm so tired of it!" Kohaku took a step back, surprised at the forcefulness of Hiei's yells. But this was not a time for him to wallow in self-pity. They needed to find a way to kill Hashi, stop their uncle, and help Kurama, and Hiei was in no condition to do anything.

"Snap out of it, Hiei," she told him. "Being mad at yourself won't solve anything. I need your help, and so do your friends. Hashi and our uncle need to be stopped-"

"They can't be stopped. You saw what they can do. How they tricked me into hurting- Into hurting one of the people I care about the most!" Hiei dropped to his knees and buried his face in his hands. Kohaku was by his side in an instant, pulling him close. She had heard humans talking about how demons didn't have hearts, about how they couldn't or didn't feel pain. But at that moment, she knew her brother's heart was breaking, and hers ached to be able to help him. She also knew that Hiei was part of the "new life" that Kurama had mentioned when she'd met up with him months ago.

"If you care so much for Kurama, then help me avenge him," she whispered as she stroked his hair. Hiei stood there for a moment, eyes squeezed shut to block tears he thought he'd never shed.

"Why do I feel so sick inside?" he asked after a few moments.

"It's guilt, little brother. Everyone feels it at least once. It's because you regret doing something."

"The telepath needs to die."

"He will, I swear it."

"If we're going to work together then, I have one request."

"Name it."

"Call me Hiei. I can't get used to being a "little brother" right now."

"Of course. And you can call me Kohaku." They pulled apart and slowly stood up, and Kohaku realized that Hiei only came up to just past her waist. It hadn't been so obvious when he'd been unconscious. She smiled slightly, and he frowned.

"What?"

"You're so little."

"Many of my enemies said that before I killed them."

"Point taken." Kohaku turned to leave, when she heard a chuckle. Hiei came up beside her, smirking. "What?"

"How many men have you killed who thought you were a mere woman?"

"How do you know I'm not a mere woman?"

"You're my sister. I didn't inherit my fighting capabilities from my mother, that's for sure. So, how many men?"

"Enough." The siblings made eye contact for a brief moment, and then Hiei nodded, and Kohaku did the same.

"Good, because I have a feeling we've been severely underestimated."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Botan sat staring at the pale, shivering form of Kurama, trying to understand what was happening. Yusuke and Kuwabara had both seemed worried and disturbed by their friend's injury, and she had never seen the ex-thief like this before. "Genkai, I'm not sure what you want me to do. I'm certainly no nurse."

"Yukina tried to heal him with her powers, but there was nothing she could do. And even my own healing techniques had no effect. I now know what's causing the problem, but I don't know of a way to reverse the damage."

"Well, if I knew the problem, I could look in Lord Enma's library, or ask Koenma." Genkai sighed and looked up as Yukina came in with a bowl of water and a clean cloth. The ice maiden knelt by the redhead and began wiping his face and neck with the cloth, using some of her power to keep the water cool.

"Have you ever heard of foxglove?" the old woman asked after a minute or so of silence. Botan thought for a moment, then nodded.

"It's a plant that grows here in Ningenkai, and it's poisonous to humans."

"It's also poisonous to kitsune. There are other human plants that can be fatal to certain demon species. But someone knew what Kurama was, and coated the dagger used to stab him with the oil of a foxglove plant."

"You suspect Hashi Akiwara then?"

"I suspect everyone in that entire fortress. Someone has done research on this team, and they used that information to capture Hiei and injure Kurama. There's no telling what else they know or what they might do next."

"Is there a cure for foxglove poisoning, Genkai?" Yukina asked, turning towards the other women.

"I don't know. Instances of demon poisoning are not well documented. But if there is such a book, I'm sure Lord Enma will have it." Botan nodded and stood up, calling forth her oar from the empty air. She and Genkai walked towards the entrance to the Temple, where the sun was beginning to set.

"I'll get back here as soon as I know something. In the meantime, tell Yusuke not to do anything stupid."

"You already know he's planning something. With his determination, there's little we can do to stop him."

"I know, but this enemy is a lot more dangerous than any they faced in the Dark Tournament. Hashi doesn't use brute force or flashy powers to defeat his opponents. And if Hiei couldn't see through his mind tricks, I'm not sure Yusuke or Kuwabara could."

"Just hurry back before those boys get themselves into trouble. I'll hold them off as long as I can," Genkai promised. The ferry-girl hopped onto her oar and flew out the door, racing towards Makai as fast as she could. Genkai watched her go, when she heard Yukina scream. Turning on her heels, she ran through the halls until she stood in the room she'd set aside for the injured. Yukina was standing by Kurama's sleep mat, hands over her mouth. She moved out of the way long enough for Genkai to see that the redhead had somehow reverted to his demon fox form. His eyes were open as she walked forward, gently pushing the ice maiden out of the way. "You're awake."

"So it would seem. Where am I?" he asked, looking around in puzzlement. His eyes were dilated though, and he couldn't seem to focus on anything very long.

"You're in my Temple, Youko Kurama. Do you remember me?"

"Yusuke's mentor, Genkai. I'm injured, not an idiot." He attempted to sit up, but a searing pain stole the breath from his lungs and he collapsed back down. Yukina went to assist him, but Genkai waved her away. "What's happening to me?"

"You've been poisoned with foxglove." At the mention of the plant's name, the kitsune's eyes widened, and he brought a trembling hand up to brush his white hair from his face. "So you know what that implies?"

"It implies a death sentence. How is my human form holding up?"

"Not well. It appears that with the poison attacking your demon soul, your human shell is suffering for the wound it received. And since the body is trying to repair itself, all spirit energy is being diverted away from the soul."

"No wonder the body has allowed me to revert back. It's trying to save itself, futile though it is."

"Do you know of a cure?" Yukina asked softly. "After all, you are the master of plants." Kurama grimaced and closed his eyes, breathing deeply to calm his racing heart.

"There is one cure, but it will kill my human body."

"How do you know?"

"The cure is Black Dragon's Blood, found only in Makai. No human can survive its ingestion."

"Is there no other way?"

"You said yourself Genkai, that my human body is dying. Once it does, this body will be left, and by that time I will have succumbed to the poison. Either way, you'll lose at least one of us."

"Aren't you the same entity?" A smirk drifted across Youko Kurama's face for a moment, and he fixed the human with a yellow-eyed stare.

"The soul of Suichi Minamoto was not destroyed, like I had originally thought. It has merged itself with my soul, but sleeps when I am in this form. So there are two souls in this body."

"Two souls? Then maybe what Kuwabara said about separating them might work," Yukina offered.

"Separate us? That's impossible." Genkai closed her eyes and thought back to the Temple's ancient texts. There was nothing so blunt as dividing a demon and a human soul into two whole beings, but perhaps there was something similar. And then she snapped her fingers, opening her eyes to find the ice maiden and kitsune staring at her.

"An exorcism. We need to rid the human body of the demon soul, and give the soul a physical form. Normally a fight involving the demon's death would follow, but that ritual would suit our purposes."

"Who would do it? You?" Youko Kurama wondered, repressing a fevered shiver.

"I could, with Botan and Yusuke's help. But we would need to have the Black Dragon's Blood here to cure your newly-formed body of the poison. And Yukina would then heal the human body of its wound."

"Yes, I can do that," the blue-haired girl said, eyes shining.

"Then let's-" Genkai turned to the door, feeling strong energy walking through the hall. A moment later Kohaku and Hiei entered the room, and both demons' eyes widened at the sight of the fox.

"Kurama!" Kohaku said, crossing the room in two steps. Hiei hung back, a little surprised to see the white-haired kitsune. He still wasn't used to Kurama's full demon form, as he tended to like the calmer, less-violent red-head. His sister, he noticed, seemed to have a familiarity with the thief Youko Kurama. "You're awake."

"That seems to be astonishing everyone," he replied as she ran a hand down his warm face. "I felt your presence a while ago, but in my human state, my feelings were convoluted. Why are you here?"

"To look for you, and to find my brother. So far I'm doing okay on both fronts."

"Genkai thinks we can heal them," Yukina said.

"Them?" Hiei asked.

"She says we can do an exorcism and separate Kurama from the human body. All we need to do is find the cure for the foxglove poison."

"What poison?"

"There was poison on that dagger you used, Hiei," Genkai explained. "Whoever left it for you knew you would use it, and that Kurama was a kitsune. Someone in that fortress knows this team, and how to weaken it."

"It must be Hashi, or my uncle," Kohaku said. "They have enough informants to get whatever information they need. Where is this cure?"

"The Black Dragon's Blood grows wild near one shrine in Makai. Hiei should know where it is," Kurama replied. The fire demon was puzzled for a moment, and then realized the meaning of the words.

"You can't be serious. That place is one step above hell."

"Hiei, do you know the place?" Kohaku asked, a bit intrigued by her brother's reaction. She had never heard of Black Dragon's Blood, but if Kurama said it was the cure, then that was the cure.

"The shrine is where demons go to learn the power of the Dragon of Darkness. It's a place of great power, but also of great danger. Not many who travel there return alive." He absent-mindedly glanced down at his right arm. Beneath the layers of protective bandages dwelled the mark that could call on the power of the Dark Dragon. He used the power sparingly, because it left him too weak to fight further, but it was a power unlike any had ever seen. Even Koenma had been fearful of the power Hiei could command, and that realization brought a smirk to the young demon's mouth.

"I'll go with you," Kohaku told him, meeting his eyes. Her hands closed around Kurama's, and the fox demon smiled slightly.

"You had better wait for Yusuke and Kuwabara to return. They will want to accompany you as well," Genkai predicted.

"I won't go anywhere with that buffoon. Kuwabara would never be able to withstand the shrine's power."

"Please Hiei," Yukina begged, walking over to him. "You shouldn't go by yourselves, and Kuwabara knows how to fight. After all, he survived the Dark Tournament." Hiei swallowed and looked away from her red stare. He could never say anything to upset his sister, and he wasn't about to start.

"All right, but only because you asked, Yukina."

* * *

Yusuke and Kuwabara returned from Koenma's office a few hours later, and neither looked happy. The Prince of Makai had informed them that there was nothing he could do at the present time. Only until the demons attacked could he even order defensive measures. "Besides," he'd said, "what do you think Spirit Detectives are for?"

"This bites," Yusuke said as they entered the Temple, loud enough for everyone to hear them.

"Tell me about it," Kuwabara added. Yukina entered the hall and put a finger to her lips, and he immediately clapped both hands over his mouth. "Sorry."

"Any change with Kurama?"

"He's reverted to his demon form, Yusuke," Genkai explained as she joined them. "And we have found a way to heal both Kurama and the human body."

"Well at least something's going right. Can we see him?"

"Kohaku's in there," Hiei said as he detached himself from a shadow at the far end of the hall. "I wouldn't disturb her right now."

"Well, I see you're back to your uncaring self," Kuwabara noted, shaking his head. Hiei's eyes narrowed, but Yusuke intervened.

"You okay with what happened?" the human asked.

"As okay as I'll ever be. Once Kohaku is ready to go, we need to leave to gather the cure." He turned to leave, and then looked back at the group. "But Yusuke, I should warn you: I don't expect you or Kuwabara to survive this place."

"How bad could it be?"

"It's the Black Dragon Shrine, Yusuke. No human has ever seen it, and few demons can survive the perils there."

"Wait, Black Dragon? Like the one Hiei can make?"

"I don't make the Dragon, you idiot. I summon its power and fuse it with my own. But someone as weak as you wouldn't understand that." The tall redhead made a grab for the small demon, but Hiei was much faster. However, the second grab caught a piece of his cloak, and he was hoisted off his feet, glaring at the human.

"You wanna see how weak I am, shorty? I am not in a good mood right now."

"What a coincidence. Neither am I." Yukina moved to stop them, but the door to the sick room opened, and Kohaku walked out, her eyes immediately surveying the scene.

"Put him down," she ordered. The human's eyes moved to meet her own.

"No. He's done nothing but insult me since we met, and I'm tired of it. Now I'm gonna show him how strong I am."

"Uh Kuwabara-" Yusuke began, but stopped when Genkai placed a hand on his arm and shook her head. Kohaku cocked her head to one side, tail slowly swishing behind her. She flexed her hands, and claws grew from her nails.

"Put him down," she repeated, hands at her sides.

"Look, you can do the whole "big sister protection" thing, but I have a score to settle with Hiei. And nothing you say is gonna make me change my mind."

"So when you catch me next time, I'll be sure to worry," Hiei said as he appeared next to his sister. Kuwabara's eyes widened, and he turned his head to see that he was holding only Hiei's cloak. The fire demon had slipped out of it and now stood bare-chested beside Kohaku.

"How did… But I just… I thought…"

"You're too easily distracted. When you shifted your attention to Kohaku, you never noticed me move. And you call yourself a fighter."

"Why you-"

"Children, that's enough. We have a cure to find, remember?" Yusuke interrupted.

"But Urameshi-"

"I don't want to hear it, Kuwabara. Now Hiei, you said you know where this place is, right?" He received a nod in reply. "Good, then let's get going. The faster we get this cure, the faster we get back here and plan a counterattack on your kidnappers."

"Trust me, Detective, that's already been planned out."

* * *

The Black Dragon Shrine's entrance looked no different than a normal cave entrance, except for the bones lying around and just inside the opening. "Warnings?" Yusuke wondered. Hiei kicked at a skull, turning it over to see three horns protruding from the forehead before it cracked in two.

"Failures." Without another word, he walked into the cave, Kohaku close at his heels with her staff out. Yusuke looked at Kuwabara, who was standing with his arms across his chest.

"You sure you want to come? I know Hiei can be a pain, but he wouldn't warn us for no reason."

"I'll be fine. I'm just trying to get used to all the energy I sense in there. Besides, this is for Kurama, and it'll be a team effort, no matter what that arrogant demon says." Nodding, the two humans entered the cave, which was lit by torches that changed color from orange to red to green. "What's with the colors?"

"The souls of those who failed light the way. You'll see other colors the closer we get to the Shrine itself."

"The souls of failures? You mean we can be trapped here forever?"

"He did warn you, Yusuke," Kohaku reminded the boys. "You can still go back."

"I didn't run from Toguro in the tournament, so I don't think I'll be running from some creepy shrine."

"See Hiei, Urameshi isn't scared."

"Hn." The group kept walking, and the torches did change color, now with blues, yellows, and whites mixed in. Hiei suddenly stopped, and a pair of torches that had been dark lit up with black flames, illuminating a wooden shrine gate that seemed to lead into darkness. "Make sure you shield yourself through here. Otherwise you'll be instantly consumed by the darkness."

"Kuwabara, stay near me," Yusuke warned his friend.

"You sure you can handle protecting both of us? I can try and do it myself."

"Don't be a fool. You wouldn't last a second beyond this gate." So saying, Hiei walked into the darkness and vanished from their view. Yusuke took a deep breath, and then dragged Kuwabara through. Kohaku stood staring at the darkness, her tail twitching madly. This was the ultimate test of her powers, but could she risk it?

"For Kurama," she whispered, stepping into the void.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: After some consideration, I have decided to change Amber's name. It is now "Kohaku", which means (because I looked it up in three different places) "amber". Yeah, sorry about all the "K" names floating around, but it just made the story flow better to have all the names in the same language. Next chapter should be up next week.

Chapter 6 

The infinite darkness seemed to shift and twist as Kohaku walked through it, keeping a tight grip on her staff. She thought about creating a small fireball to see, but then reasoned that it was a waste of her power to do so. Already she could feel the pressure on her energy shield, as if she was walking through water. It began pressing in more, and she saw her shield visibly bow under the strain. She went to her knees, fighting to maintain control of her energy. But the darkness swirled in faster, until she couldn't even see herself. _'I can't keep this up much longer. And I can't even move to get out this darkness. What am I going to do?'_ And then she fixed her mind on Kurama's face, and how happy he'd seemed when he saw her. She could not give up when a cure was just on the other side of this void. And if Yusuke and Kuwabara had made it, she could do. She was a demon after all, Kohaku of the Shadow Warriors, her mother, Kougyoku's Pride; daughter of Itsuki the fire demon. She would not give up to a void that did not even wield a weapon. Gathering her remaining strength, she staggered to her knees and took a shaky step forward, and then another. Using the staff to lean her weight on, Kohaku felt the pressure on her shield lessening, and she started to see faint shadows at the edge of her sight. A bandaged hand suddenly appeared in front of her, and she grabbed onto it, letting it pull her into the light.

"You okay?" Yusuke asked, looking slightly worried. Kuwabara was sitting on a flat stone, arms wrapped around his body as shivers racked him.

"I'm fine," she replied, straightening up and looking towards her brother. Hiei was staring at her, and then at his hand holding hers. He quickly dropped it and turned away, staring up the hill they were next to. Everyone followed his gaze to the top, where a large temple stood, its black stone walls starting to crumble from age. A path was carved into the hillside, and it veered into two paths halfway to the temple. One led to the building, and the other was lost in a sea of black flowers that swayed in a wind only they felt. "Is that-"

"The Black Dragon's Blood. We need to get those plants," Hiei said.

"I'm not going anywhere near those things. This whole place is making my skin crawl," Kuwabara protested.

"Suit yourself," the fire demon replied, starting up the trail.

"We'd better follow him just in case," Yusuke told Kohaku, who nodded. They fell into step behind Hiei, whose eyes kept shifting between the flowers and the temple.

"By the way, thank you," Kohaku said softly.

"For what?"

"Pulling me out of the darkness. I might not have made it those last few steps without your help."

"Youko Kurama would never have forgiven me if I let you die before we'd begun." The siblings were silent for a few minutes, and then Kohaku spoke again:

"I didn't think you cared what anyone thought of you."

"Kurama and his counterpart are a different story. I wouldn't want to give him a reason to be mad at me. As I told Yusuke, I don't want either as my enemy."

"Which I still don't understand," the human joined in. "Kurama doesn't seem to be able to get mad. Karasu was the only one who seemed to get a reaction out him."

"And how quick was his death?" That drove the point home, and Yusuke closed his mouth and kept his eyes open for any sign of trouble. The fact that he hadn't seen any so far made him nervous. A tingling sensation began at the base of his spine and started working its way up, but Yusuke tried to ignore it. However, the closer he got to the flowers, the stronger the tingling became. Kohaku stopped mid-stride, her tail swinging madly behind her.

"Something's wrong," she whispered. Hiei stopped and looked at the two with him, a little confused. He didn't sense anything, and his Jagan eye was not reacting to any strange energy signatures nearby.

"You two are wasting time."

"You can't feel that?"

"Feel what, Detective? There's nothing here."

"My skin feels like it's on fire," Kohaku whispered, dropping her staff and wrapping her arms around herself. She had never felt heat this intense before, as if her body was trying to contain a small sun. And now her head was throbbing, like she'd been hit too many times. From Yusuke's kneeling posture, she was sure that he felt something too. But Hiei seemed unaffected, and he watched in confusion. And then Yusuke tipped his head back and screamed, a primal sound that touched off something in Kohaku's soul.

"Hiei, what's going on up there?" Kuwabara called up. The black-haired demon was about to give a sharp retort, when he saw Kohaku leap at Yusuke, claws and fangs bared. He met her attack head-on, his energy flaring out around him.

"What's happening?" And then Hiei felt a shiver race up his spine and nestle at the back of his skull, where it became a dense throb. Memories of his time at the temple came back, and he fought to control the urge to kill.

_'The flowers that grow at the base of this shrine are a trap unto themselves. Only a master of the darkness within his own soul can even hope to overcome the darkness that the flowers produce. It is a maddening heat that drives all demons to kill each other, thus paving the way for the true masters to take their place at the shrine.'_

"But why can't I fight it? I have mastered the Dragon of Darkness. I should be immune to these plants." And then, as he went to his knees and clenched his fists at his side, his Jagan eye opened, showing Hiei that although his outer energy shields were functioning, his inner walls had been torn down. The walls that he'd spent years building to protect himself from being branded as weak. But how- Hashi, of course. He'd torn them down to get at Hiei's defenses, to see what could make him weak. And with Kurama's injury and the emergence of a sister, Hiei had not taken the time to take a mental stock of himself. He'd wandered into the shrine's territory completely unprepared for the danger it now presented him. "I won't let it win. I am a master of the darkness." He retreated to his inner mind, using his energy to erect new walls around himself. These barriers were strengthened with the darkness that controlled the Dark Dragon, mixing both into a potent mental shield. "I won't be so easy to read next time." And once the last wall was in place, the throbbing stopped, and the Jagan closed once more. Hiei emerged from his mind to see Kohaku and Yusuke fiercely battling one another, and Kuwabara screaming at all of them.

"Hiei, you jerk, get the flowers and knock some sense into them!"

"I don't take orders from humans, Kuwabara. These two can exhaust themselves for all I care." He disappeared from the human's view, and raced to where the flowers grew. Quickly grabbing a handful and stuffing it into a bag he'd brought along, Hiei found their strange scent to be quite intoxicating. No wonder demons would fight each other near the plants. The scent made him lightheaded, and he felt for a moment that no one would be able to defeat him. But the feeling passed quickly as the new barriers filtered out the deceiving feelings, leaving the fire demon to stare at the scene before him. Yusuke was now preparing to fire a Spirit Gun directly at Kohaku, who was creating a large fireball as a counterattack. Neither would have much spirit energy left after the fight, and they still needed to get back through the barrier. "This is ridiculous." Just as he was about to draw his katana, a familiar pulsing in his arm caused him to glance down. This close to the shrine, the marking of the Dragon was glowing with a dark light that was visible even beneath the layers of bandages. It seemed to writhe along his arm even as he watched, begging to be released. But what would happen to it, with this much dark energy for it to feed off of, would he be able to control it?

"Hiei, do something!" Kuwabara screamed, his Spirit Sword out in defense. Yes, there was something the demon could do. Something that would definitely end the fight between Kohaku and Yusuke. All he needed to do was maintain control. And he was a master of the Dark Dragon, he knew how much control it took, and how much energy it needed. The bindings seemed to unwrap themselves, and the Dragon was already flowing down Hiei's arm, searching for the energy that would unleash it.

"Kuwabara, get down!" he warned as his Jagan opened to give him the added energy boost. Power seemed to charge the air around him, and the temple was glowing with a strange dark light. Yusuke somehow managed to regain enough mental control to see the Dragon starting to form. His Spirit Gun was nearly complete, and Kohaku's fireball seemed almost as big. He couldn't quite remember what he'd been doing a moment ago, but now he had bigger problems to worry about.

"Hiei, don't!" he managed to yell before the urge to fight took over again, clouding his mind as he stared at his opponent. Kohaku didn't seem to see anything but him, and her eyes were a fierce red that burned with the energy of a very angry fire demon. He had to be faster than her on the attack.

"Spirit-"

"Dragon of the Darkness Flame!" Hiei shouted as his ultimate attack roared to life and twisted around everything. The Dragon grew larger, feeding off the energy of its temple as well as Hiei. Kuwabara's sword shrank as he dove for cover, but even that couldn't protect him from the black mass that seemed to be everywhere at once. It surrounded the two fighters, and their attacks were blown away by its power. Yusuke managed to shield himself from the onslaught of spirit energy, but Kohaku was caught off-guard, and the darkness enveloped her. She screamed, fighting against a power she had only heard of in legends, desperately hoping she could survive it. And then a distant spark of power answered her call, flowing along her outer energy shield and creating a barrier against the darkness. It infused her with its own fire energy, allowing her to relax for a moment in its peaceful warmth. The next thing she knew, Kohaku opened her eyes to see Hiei recalling the Dragon, satisfied that it had done its work.

"You all right?" Yusuke asked, walking over to her.

"I think so. What happened?"

"These flowers create a scent that makes demons want to fight each other," Hiei explained as he came up. "Though I'm not sure about you, Detective." Yusuke put one hand behind his head and laughed.

"Who knows? Maybe I've just died too many times to be considered human."

"Hey, can we go now?" Kuwabara wondered, peeking around a battered boulder. "I really don't think this a good place to be."

"For once, I have to agree with Kuwabara," Yusuke added. "Let's go." They turned back to the dark void, the two humans going through first this time. Hiei took a last look at the temple, winding the bandages quickly around the Dragon. Strange, but he didn't feel tired after using it, like he had at the Dark Tournament. Perhaps this area also served to recharge him after the use of the energy. If so, this might be a good place to train in the coming months, once Hashi had been dealt with.

"You aren't going to yell at me?" he suddenly asked Kohaku, who was staring absent-mindedly at the void.

"Why would I?"

"I could've killed you."

"But you didn't." She stretched then, claws extending as she felt her joints realign themselves after being in fighting mode. The trip here had done her some good after all.

"That wasn't my doing. How did you resist the Dragon?" He stared at her in slight confusion. She didn't have a great deal of spirit energy, at least compared to himself and the other boys. Even Kuwabara had a greater energy store. But how had she fought off the Dragon, when it had vaporized demons at the Tournament?

"I suppose you'll just have to wait and find out," she replied with a smile.

"Hn. I suppose you were just lucky." Kohaku started to go back through the dark void, when she turned around and met his eyes.

"When you see our Uncle, ask him about his bad arm. I'm sure the reaction you get from him will be worth it." She disappeared a moment later, and Hiei frowned.

"This is getting aggravating. For once, even I want answers." He made sure the bag with the flowers was secured around his shoulders, and then he dashed into the void, leaving the Black Dragon Shrine in silence once more.

* * *

Once they were safely out of the cave, Kuwabara lost what little composure he had left. "Are you all crazy?" he yelled. "Urameshi, I can't believe you'd attack a girl! And speaking of that, Kohaku, what got into you?"

"As I told Yusuke, the flowers I collected release a scent that drives people into a battle frenzy," Hiei explained as he kept walking.

"Like you should talk, shorty. You could've killed us with that dragon of yours." The fire demon spun around and glared at the tall human.

"But I didn't." While Yusuke attempted to explain things to his friend, Kohaku caught up to her brother.

"I think you have a soft spot for the human." Once again, Hiei turned but kept walking, red eyes narrowing.

"Don't mistake professional courtesy for being soft. Kuwabara is a teammate with some useful abilities. Besides, humans like him aren't worth my time."

"That, and Yukina would be upset if something happened to him." It had not taken long to figure out that the red-haired human was head-over-heels for the young Koorime. And the little sister Kohaku had not known about seemed to relish the attention and comfort she received from Kuwabara. They were quite an adorable couple, but she could sense that Hiei did not wholly approve.

"You make it sound like she's the only person who matters to me."

"Isn't she? Your reputation as a ruthless killer precedes you, Hiei. Yet you're calmer, and- dare I say it- gentle with your sister." That was another thing that hadn't taken long to figure out. Though gruff and standoffish with everyone else, around Yukina it seemed that Hiei could let his guard down for a little bit.

"She isn't the only one," Hiei said, but his voice was softer. He knew he was still trying to keep up his emotional shields, but right now he just didn't care enough. What did it matter if this demon who called herself his sister knew personal things about him? She'd already been around his teammates, Yukina, Genkai, and she had been involved with Youko Kurama. What did it matter if she knew things about him? He could always deny it later.

"Kurama's human body?" Though phrased like a question, it was clear that Kohaku knew their history. Had she really studied up on him, like she'd first said? If so, then mostly likely she knew what she needed to anyway, and was simply looking to confirm her thoughts.

"He is my partner, and probably the one who knows and understands the most about me. Certainly you felt that way regarding his demon form?"

"Youko was harsher than what he is now, but I see the same aspects in both. I can't fault your choice in partners."

"After we help both of them, what will you do?" Kohaku had to think for a moment, glancing back at the two humans, who were following them once again. She couldn't stay here, that was certain. She needed to return to Makai and help her father and siblings make sure her uncle and the telepath were no more of a threat. Then she'd return to her mother's Pride and take up her rightful place as a warrior there. Or, if she convinced him, Youko would return and they would form a new gang of thieves.

"I'm not sure yet," she answered.

"And what if Genkai can't separate them?" She meant to answer that she was uncertain about that as well, but Hiei stopped dead and met her gaze. And behind the anger, frustration, and emotional barriers, Kohaku saw it. A spark so small that she would've missed it had she not felt the same once before: Hiei was scared. He stood a chance of losing someone so close to him and it frightened him. The warrior was gone for an instant, to be replaced by a regular teenager, who was unsure of the world.

"As I told Genkai, I will not break the bonds Kurama has forged here. You are my brother, Hiei. I could never hurt you like that." They walked on in silence, until Yusuke heard a familiar _beep_! Pulling a communication mirror from his pocket, he flipped it open with a loud sigh.

"This better be important, Botan."

"Yusuke, get back to the Temple immediately!" the ferry-girl screamed loud enough that everyone stopped and stared.

"Why, what's the big emergency?" And then a horrible idea hit him. "Is Kurama all right? Did his condition change?"

"I wouldn't know, because he's not here!"

"WHAT?" Now the others crowded around, and the fire siblings were fearing the worst. "Tell me what happened."

"Hashi Akiwara led a team of demons to the Temple, Yusuke," Genkai said as she appeared next to Botan in the mirror. "They overwhelmed us, and took prisoners to make sure I did nothing. Kurama, Yukina, and Keiko are gone."

"Keiko? What was she doing there?"

"Coming to make sure you were all right. The demons looked as though they followed her here."

"Where did they take them?" Kuwabara demanded, leaning over his friend's shoulder and shaking his fist.

"Back to their fortress, is my guess. Genkai and I will meet you there," Botan said. "You're going to need a lot of backup on this."

"And bring those flowers!" Genkai advised. "If it comes down to it, we will need to do the ceremony either after or during the fight. I don't know how much longer Kurama has."

"Hiei has the- Hiei!" Yusuke yelled, but in vain. Hiei and Kohaku were already moving, making their way back to the castle of their uncle as fast as they could. "Damnit, I gotta go, Botan! Kuwabara, we need to catch them."

"Um, I'd rather just follow them. They looked really mad." Both boys nodded and took off running, hoping they weren't too late to help their friends.


End file.
